Amend Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act: 30-Day Termination for Serious Tenant Breaches
The Issue
Ontario’s rental housing system should provide fair and clearly enforceable responsibilities for both landlords and tenants.
Landlords have significant legal obligations to provide and maintain safe and habitable rental properties. Tenants also have fundamental obligations, including paying lawful rent, taking reasonable care of the property they occupy, and not causing significant damage.
However, when serious breaches occur, landlords can face a lengthy process before they are able to recover possession of their property.
We are asking the Government of Ontario to amend the Residential Tenancies Act to establish a 30-day termination process in cases involving:
• Non-payment of rent
• Significant property damage caused wilfully or negligently, beyond normal wear and tear
• Serious or persistent neglect of the rental property resulting in significant deterioration, property damage, pest infestation, sanitation problems, or health and safety concerns
Where there is documented evidence that one of these serious breaches has occurred, a landlord should be permitted to provide 30 days’ written notice terminating the tenancy and the tenant’s right to possession, without being required to go through a lengthy eviction process before recovering possession of the property.
Clear and objective standards should establish what evidence is required for this process.
This proposal is not intended to apply to normal wear and tear, minor untidiness, or ordinary differences in how people maintain their homes. It is intended to address serious and documented breaches of fundamental tenancy obligations.
A fair rental housing system should establish meaningful responsibilities for both sides. Landlords must meet their legal obligations to tenants, and serious breaches of tenant obligations should also have clear and timely consequences.
We call on the Government of Ontario to amend the Residential Tenancies Act to introduce this 30-day termination process.
If you support this proposed change, please sign this petition and share it with other Ontario residents.
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The Issue
Ontario’s rental housing system should provide fair and clearly enforceable responsibilities for both landlords and tenants.
Landlords have significant legal obligations to provide and maintain safe and habitable rental properties. Tenants also have fundamental obligations, including paying lawful rent, taking reasonable care of the property they occupy, and not causing significant damage.
However, when serious breaches occur, landlords can face a lengthy process before they are able to recover possession of their property.
We are asking the Government of Ontario to amend the Residential Tenancies Act to establish a 30-day termination process in cases involving:
• Non-payment of rent
• Significant property damage caused wilfully or negligently, beyond normal wear and tear
• Serious or persistent neglect of the rental property resulting in significant deterioration, property damage, pest infestation, sanitation problems, or health and safety concerns
Where there is documented evidence that one of these serious breaches has occurred, a landlord should be permitted to provide 30 days’ written notice terminating the tenancy and the tenant’s right to possession, without being required to go through a lengthy eviction process before recovering possession of the property.
Clear and objective standards should establish what evidence is required for this process.
This proposal is not intended to apply to normal wear and tear, minor untidiness, or ordinary differences in how people maintain their homes. It is intended to address serious and documented breaches of fundamental tenancy obligations.
A fair rental housing system should establish meaningful responsibilities for both sides. Landlords must meet their legal obligations to tenants, and serious breaches of tenant obligations should also have clear and timely consequences.
We call on the Government of Ontario to amend the Residential Tenancies Act to introduce this 30-day termination process.
If you support this proposed change, please sign this petition and share it with other Ontario residents.
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Petition created on September 21, 2026